Dwight Howard still isn’t playing both sides of back-to-backs for the Houston Rockets.
Around the time that Houston canned Kevin McHale, it was believed Howard’s limitations were coming to an end. But, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted, the Rockets are still taking extra precautions:
#Rockets C Dwight Howard won't play Fri. vs. the #Mavs. He's not yet playing both ends of a back-2-back. He'll play Sat. vs. the #Kings.
— Dwain Price (@DwainPrice) December 3, 2015
Taking it slow with Howard makes sense. He’s battled knee and back injuries over the last year, and it’s not like he’s 25 anymore. The Rockets need him healthy for the stretch run, as they prepare for what they hope will be another deep postseason push.
Assuming, of course, they make the playoffs.
The Rockets are three games under .500 and still scrapping and clawing their way out of a self-dug hole no one saw coming. There are moments when they look like the team from last season—flashes that make you think they’ll return to form in the near future.
Mostly, though, they’re still an incredible disappointment. They’re hovering around the bottom 10 of offensive efficiency, per NBA.com, and their defense ranks among the five worst.
Typically, that would suggest the Rockets need Howard. And in the most fundamental sense, they do. But they’ve spent more time without him than with him this season and are statistically better when he’s on the bench, according to NBA.com.
So there’s no need to fret when watching Houston play sans Dwight.
In fact, at this point, given the offensive style they’re trying to own, it might be time to entertain the idea that the Rockets are better off without him.
